


Objects Show My Affection

by ChibiYoda



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Prompt Fill, Science Bros, This Is My Ship and It Has Wrecked Me, pre-Science Boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-08-13 15:18:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7981285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiYoda/pseuds/ChibiYoda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony doesn't like to use words. Not at first, anyway. But when the object of his affection isn't accustomed to receiving any kind of affection, the messages have a hard time getting through.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Objects Show My Affection

**Author's Note:**

> For this prompt from Avengerkink:
> 
> “Bruce/Tony Presents
> 
> bmlhillenkeene
> 
> Bruce finds himself receiving a bunch of random things, things that really aren't his sort of things, so, not realising that they're Tony giving him little gifts he discards them without really paying that much attention. Then when it comes to his birthday he receives a very Him gift from Tony and gushes over it because it is awesome.  
> Tony goes along with it, but is secretly very disappointed because the present was actually chosen by Pepper (as we know Tony is movie Cannonically not very good at picking gifts (strawberries for Pepper as a sorry gift anyone) and usually gets Pepper to do all his buying for him anyway).  
> However the random things Bruce was receiving was Tony's way of trying to tell Bruce that he really liked him, either as a friend or something more (up to Anon). Anyway, Bruce somehow finds out and digs out all the little random items and puts them together to decode the message Tony was trying to give him.”

Bruce woke leisurely this morning. Only a handful of days back in the tower, and the safety and comfort he felt before he left for a couple of months to visit his old haunts had returned almost immediately. It had been a test. He’d been enjoying himself far too much after Tony invited him to be his 'roomie', more or less. He wanted to be sure. He needed to know that this life with these people was what he really wanted, and not just a knee-jerk reaction to someone being nice to him for the first time in forever. So he’d traveled back to the places that he’d spent time while on the run. Back to the edges of society. Back to anonymity. It didn’t take long for him to figure out that, yes, this was where he wanted to be. This was a life he could find some happiness in.

He sat up and swung his feet to the floor. That’s when he noticed a strange contraption on the nightstand, on which his glasses were currently resting.

It was a shiny stainless steel device, which had secure slots to store up to four pairs of glasses, a dispenser filled with small microfiber lens cloths, and a tiny motion sensitive light – presumably to make it easy to locate them in the dark. To be honest, Bruce usually just cleans his glasses with the hem of his shirt, and leaves them either in his pocket or folded on the nightstand. He really didn’t need a fancy holder.

He had no idea how it got there, or who may have left it. But when you live with a group of people who claim ‘stealth’ as part of their DNA, he supposed it could’ve been any one of them. He decided it best not to overthink it.

Grabbing his sparkling clean glasses, he started his day.

*

*

*

On another typical morning in the tower, Bruce was heading to his lab bright and early, anxious to see what wonders or frustrations his work held for him. He would never tire of this. Never have enough knowledge. And he was in the right place to feed that gluttonous hunger. 

When he got to his desk he found something sitting on the keyboard. A beanie-type plush Hulk, about the size of his hand. He rolled his eyes as he picked it up. What in the world would possess a company to make something like this? And better yet, who would want to own it? Its stern gaze betrayed by a plump squishy body, he had to admit that it was sort of cute. And that puzzled him even more. Hulk was not cute.

He didn’t really want to have to stare at it all day, but he also didn’t want to offend whoever left it for him. He opted to sit the creature up on a shelf behind his desk, out of his normal line of sight. Should anyone inquire, he could always use the excuse that he didn’t want it to get dirty or accidentally ruined.

So there it remained, watching him. And judging him…if he though about it too much. So he tried not to.

*

*

*

Late one afternoon, Tony bounded into the living room. Bruce was curled up on the couch, reading.

“I’ve got presents!” Tony announced. He handed a box to Bruce. “One for you, and one for me.”

Bruce sat up properly, and placed the box on his lap.

“Open, open!” Tony motioned to Bruce, as he began to open his own box.

Bruce obeyed, and inside was a new pair of sneakers. He pulled one of the shoes out to inspect it. In the meantime Tony already had one from his pair on a foot.

“Wait till you try ‘em Bruce. It’s like walking on a cloud!”

“You bought us matching sneakers?” Bruce was baffled by this gesture.

“These aren't just any sneakers, but a triumph of footwear design! Just released today. And they almost match. As you can see, the accents on yours are in green, and red on mine.”

Green, Bruce thought. Yay. “Well...thank you...this is very thoughtful of you, but you didn't have to go out of your way for me. I already have a pair of sneakers.” Bruce still hadn’t gotten used to the fact that he could allow himself more than the bare necessities. And it certainly never crossed his mind that anyone would want to give him a gift for no apparent reason.

“Yeah, I know. But that’s not the point.” 

“Then what is?” Bruce inquired innocently.

Tony paused briefly before, “No point. Never mind. Not everything has a point.” He then pulled his phone out of his pocket and answered it. He meandered out of the room, apparently arguing with the caller about something business-related.

Bruce can’t say that he’d heard it ring.

*

*

*

It was December, and Bruce’s birthday was upon him. He never mentioned it, but naturally Tony had done his research. Bruce had made Tony promise not to go overboard, and Tony did quite well in keeping the festivities to a minimum. Bruce was actually having a good time at his vastly subdued party.

Yet a small gathering of people that he was still becoming accustomed to was a challenge that Bruce hadn't quite overcome. He'd snuck into the media room for a quick breather.

Moments later, Tony stuck his head in. "Am I interrupting anything?"

Bruce waved him in. Tony walked down to where Bruce was sitting, and placed a present on the seat next to him. “Here’s a little something from me.” Tony swayed to and fro anxiously as he waited for Bruce’s response.

Bruce opened the expertly wrapped gift. His eyes lit up.

Tony continued, “Thought these might be a nice alternative to walking around the place in your socks. Especially in the winter.”

Bruce removed the moccasins from the box. Buttery toffee-toned sheepskin, the shearling lining softer than cotton. Well-made, but not extravagant. He smiled broadly.

“They may have been made by Native Americans, or Eskimos, or something like that. Not exactly my style, but they look pretty comfortable.”

“These are beautiful Tony. Thank you!” Bruce admired the slippers, and was genuinely pleased.

 

The following evening, Tony came upon Bruce foraging in the communal kitchen. “I kinda ran out of snacks at my place.” Bruce guiltily admitted.

Tony noted that Bruce was wearing the moccasins. He gestured toward Bruce's feet. “So you really like those things, huh?”

“Oh yeah.” Bruce gushed. “They’re almost criminally comfortable. Thank you again.”

“Well, Pepper had a hand in picking them out. Eh, who am I kidding.” Tony’s tone became tipped with irritation. “She picked them out all on her own. I wanted to be sure that I gave you something you might actually like this time. Seems I’m as lousy at saying stuff with gifts as I am with actual words.”

Bruce was taken back. Why was Tony upset? “I don’t understand.”

Tony tried to smooth it over. “It’s fine. It’s nothing. I’m glad you like them.” He then gave Bruce a pat on the back, and disappeared into the tower.

Bruce poured himself some cereal, and took a seat at the table. Tony’s words repeated in his mind. Tony wanted to say something? He’s never noticed the man at a loss for words before. And what gifts (he noted the plural) is he talking about? 

Flummoxed, Bruce suddenly thought of the sneakers from a while back.

 

"Top of the line." Tony'd said.

 

 _'I want you to have the best.'_ he’d meant.

 

Then Bruce remembered the eyeglasses holder. Had it been from Tony?

 

_'I want you to take good care of things that are important to you.'_

 

The plush Hulk? Of course it was Tony.

 

_'Other people have accepted Hulk, even children. Why can’t you?'_

 

His eyes wandered to the cereal box. Why was his favorite readily available in this kitchen? He hadn't put it here.

Instances of other conveniences like this one suddenly collected in his mind, where a very un-scientific hypothesis was forming. 

 

Bruce found Tony in the garage, spinning round and round on a chair. He keyed in his code and went in. “Don’t you get dizzy?”

“Please. I’m Iron Man.” Tony stopped the motion abruptly. Okay, maybe that wasn’t the very best idea. “What’s up?”

“I get it now. I think so, at least.” Bruce offered up a shy smile. “Thanks Tony. It’s nice having someone like you in my corner.”

Tony tried to play down the sentiment, but it had already set up camp in that little place in his heart marked 'Bruce'. “Yeah, well, I’m in it for the long haul buddy.”

And for the very first time Bruce realized, “Me too.”


End file.
